The SPA-sponsored afterschool trip to the movies for Stanbridge high school students that was slated for this Friday, Jan. 23, has been cancelled. Because there are no age-appropriate movies or start times that are convenient at the San Mateo theater, SPA has decided to cancel this Friday's afterschool activity. A replacement date will be announced in the weeks ahead; check the SPA Spot page for more information once a new date has been set. We apologize for any inconvenience.

From Marilyn Lynch, Stanbridge Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of the Weekly Bridge. Basketball season for the Bulldogs tipped-off last Friday and takes us into a holiday weekend. Here's the latest news and notes from campus...

First off, just a reminder that there is no school on Monday, January 19. Stanbridge will be closed in observance of the Martin Luther King Day holiday; classes will resume on Tuesday.

Last week was a rather eventful week on campus, as the search for the new head of school began in earnest. Skip Kotkins, the search consultant from Carney Sandoe & Associates, held multiple information gathering sessions with current staff members and Stanbridge parents/guardians. Skip also met individually with select staff members, students, and Stanbridge trustees. The information from these meetings will be used to craft a position paper that describes our school and community strengths and challenges, as well as qualifications that the new head should have. This document will be used to solicit qualified candidates, and all stakeholders will be asked for input again when the final pool of candidates visit Stanbridge.

The Board of Trustees has also named the members of the search committee. They are:

Linda Waissar: Vice Chairman, Board of Trustees, parent of Stanbridge high school sophomore

John Barnett: Stanbridge high school teacher, literature, language arts, government and economics

Kimberley Kornmann: Stanbridge middle elementary teacher

With Skip's guidance, these committee members will work to find the best candidates for the job, who will embrace Stanbridge's unique mission and values, and ensure that our community continues to grow and flourish. As the search process continues over the next few weeks and months, we will regularly post updates on our website's Search News page (in the About Us section of our website), so be sure to check the page regularly for updates.Be sure to also check out the SPA Spot page, as numerous SPA-sponsored events are on the horizon. This Friday, January 23, SPA will be sponsoring the monthly lunchtime bake sale, as well as an afterschool trip to the movies for our high school and fifth-year students. Volunteers are needed for both events, so click over to the SPA Spot for details on how you can help. Also, time is running out to reserve seats for next month's SPA Valentine's Dinner. This catered event exclusively for Stanbridge families is filling-up fast, and the sign-up deadline is January 23. Reservations are $100 per person, and all proceeds benefit Stanbridge--it's a great way to enjoy a magnificent meal with some great company, so reserve your seat now!

This Friday also marks the end of the second quarter. Teachers will be submitting final grades and report cards will be mailed by month's end. Please note that there are no teacher conferences scheduled for the end of this quarter. If you would like to meet with one or more of your student's teachers to discuss academic progress, please email the teacher(s) directly to set-up a meeting. Teacher emails can be found in the Teachers section of our website.

Speaking of teachers, our art teacher Camille Geraci would like to remind students that the yearbook cover design contest entry deadline is this Tuesday, January 20. All Stanbridge junior high and high school students are invited to create a cover design for the 2014-2015 Stanbridge yearbook. Camille has listed the requirements for this year's contest and posted templates on our Files & Forms page. Finalists will be determined by a staff and student vote, with the winning entry being used as our yearbook cover. This is the last chance for submissions, so get those crayons and markers out this weekend!

Our Annual Fund Campaign Committee has good news to report--we are closing-in on our $220,000 goal and could meet (or even exceed) it by month's end! If you have not made a donation yet, now's the time. Remember that your donation could go even further than you think: All new donations and increases in donations from last year will be matched dollar-for-dollar. Additionally, we have the potential to earn $10,000 in match money if we reach 100% participation from families in the K-8 and High School divisions. We're at 75% schoolwide participation right now, and the match challenge ends on April 1 (no fooling). It's easy to give--simply mail-in or drop-off your donation in an Annual Fund remit envelope, or give securely online through our website's Donate Now link. It has been an incredible year so far and every donation truly makes a difference, so Thank You for your support and generosity!

Finally, a few closing notes:

On Thursday, January 22, we will be hosting the all-school assembly "Global Safari." The event will be held in the Multipurpose Zooatorium at 2:00 p.m.

Allison St. John's sophomore literature/language arts class has been studying Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods this quarter and capped their studies by creating a homemade short film based on the story. With all due respect to Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp, our Stanbridge thespians have put their own unforgettable spin on the story. Be sure to click over to our website's Media Room where you can screen the short.

Last but not least, big congratulations to our Bulldogs Basketball team, who took the court last Friday for their first competitive game of the 2014-2015 season. Playing against Borel Middle School, the Bulldogs were supported by a rowdy contingent of fans--parents, guardians, students and teachers all came out to support the team. If you missed it, don't worry--Coach Mark Kelley already has additional games on the schedule, the next coming up on February 8 at the San Mateo-Peninsula YMCA. Details and directions (along with future game dates) can be found on the Bulldogs Athletics page, and photo highlights from the game have been uploaded to our Facebook page.

That's all for this week. Enjoy the long weekend and see you back at school on Tuesday.

Stanbridge STAR Team members visited the San Mateo Police Headquarters on Tuesday, 01/06, to deliver cards they made expressing appreciation for the work officers do in our community.

From Marilyn Lynch, Stanbridge Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of the Weekly Bridge. Our first week back to school after break was a busy one, with plenty of news to report. Without further ado, here's the latest:

As you have probably heard by now, this past Tuesday I announced that I would be stepping-down as Stanbridge's head of school at the end of this academic year. My retirement comes after serving the Stanbridge community for ten years, and the connections I have made over that time make this decision extremely difficult. Nonetheless, there is still plenty of work to do and events to look forward to over the next few weeks and months ahead, so there won't be any cleaning-out of the office quite yet.

In the meantime, the Board of Trustees has started the process of searching for a new head of school. The board has retained the services of Skip Kotkins from Carney Sandoe & Associates, a leading national education search firm, to assist with the search process. The board has also created a search committee comprised of current and former trustees, staff members, and current Stanbridge parents. Both the search consultant and committee will be considering feedback and input from Stanbridge parents/guardians and Stanbridge staff members at Q&A forums held on campus this week. We hope you will be able to attend one of the forums with our consultant, Skip. At those forums, he will ask three questions:

What about Stanbridge Academy must not change?e.g., The things we do best, the things that make us who we are.

What about Stanbridge Academy must change?e.g., Things that we might do better; hopes and dreams for new things in the future.

What are the skills and attributes of the new Head of School that he/she must have in order to be successful?

Skip will aggregate all of the input from the forums and provide a draft of the position description that represents what all of us collectively envision for the future of the school and our new Head. Your participation will be very helpful. If you are unable to attend one of the forums, you may also send your responses to the above questions to Skip via email at: skip.kotkins@carneysandoe.com, no later than Wednesday evening, January 14. The time and place of the forums for faculty/staff and the forums for parents are:

Staff Meetings:

Wednesday, January 14, 3:15-4:15 p.m., Faculty Lounge

Thursday, January 15, 7:00-8:00 a.m., Faculty Lounge

Parent Meetings:

Wednesday, January 14, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Hayden Hall

Thursday, January 15, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Classroom 103 (downstairs to left after entering school)

The board and the search committee are committed to finding a new head of school who will embrace Stanbridge's unique mission and values, and ensure that our community continues to grow and flourish. You input is critical in assisting with this process, so I highly encourage you to participate in these forums. To keep everyone informed of the search process and progress, we will regularly post updates on our website's Search News page (in the About Us section of our website), so be sure to check the page regularly for updates.

Retirement announcement aside, the first week back from school also featured some other notable news. The second session of afterschool clubs began last week and will run through mid-March. A few of the clubs advertised did not meet the minimum enrollment threshold, so we regret to have to cancel the following offerings:

Tuesdays: Sci-Fi Movie club with Allison St. John

Wednesdays: Group Games club with Kim Kornmann

Wednesdays: Movies 101 club with Zac Oldenburg

Thursdays: Board Games club with Ashley Carter

If you signed-up your student for any of the clubs listed above, your tuition will be refunded. Also, please note that you can enroll your student in one of the other clubs being offered, in place of the club initially desired. Club descriptions, along with a sign-up form, can be found in the clubs brochure posted to our Files & Forms page. Remember that clubs end at 4:30 p.m., please ensure prompt pickup of your student.

This past Wednesday, the Stanbridge Parent Association held their monthly SPA meeting, the minutes of which have been posted on the SPA Spot page. Be sure to click over to the SPA Spot for additional news and notes on upcoming events such as the January Bake Sale and afterschool trip to the movies scheduled for later this month. You can also find the link to join the SPA Facebook group, a social media forum designed exclusively for Stanbridge parents and guardians to post and share information. But wait there's more! You can also find the link to reserve seats for next month's SPA Valentine's Dinner. This catered event exclusively for Stanbridge families is filling-up fast, and the sign-up deadline is January 23. Reservations are $100 per person, and all proceeds benefit Stanbridge--it's a great way to enjoy a magnificent meal with some great company, so reserve your seat now!

Our annual yearbook cover design contest is entering the final days for submissions. If your student completed a template, contest entries can be submitted to Camille. The deadline for entries is January 20th, and all Stanbridge junior high and high school students are invited to create a cover design for the 2014-2015 Stanbridge yearbook. Camille has listed the requirements for this year's contest and posted templates on our Files & Forms page--cover design templates will also be available in Camille's room this week. Finalists will be determined by a staff and student vote, with the winning entry being used as our yearbook cover.

Finally, a few reminders about upcoming events:

On Saturday, January 17, representatives from Stanbridge will be at the Hillsdale Mall Education Expo. This unique event will host representatives from local public and private preschools, elementary schools, and high schools. They will be on-site to answer questions and provide detailed information on curriculum, dates of admission, requirements, open house and more to parents. This event is sponsored by Parenting on the Peninsula, one of the leading parenting magazines of the Bay Area. To learn more visit www.hillsdale.com or call 650-345-8222. Help spread the word to family and friends, and be sure to stop by our kiosk if you're in the neighborhood!

Monday, January 19 is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Stanbridge will be closed in observance of the holiday.

The second quarter ends on Friday, January 23rd. Progress reports were sent home prior to the holidays. If your student is in danger of failing a class or would like to improve his/her grade, please have them talk with their teachers about what they can do to better their academic standing before final grades are due.

Clearly we're off and running in the new year. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and see you back on campus this week!

From Marilyn Lynch, Stanbridge Head of School:Hello again and welcome to the first 2015 edition of the Weekly Bridge. After a long holiday break, school finally resumes on Monday, January 5th. A few notes and reminders as we get ready to begin the new year at Stanbridge:

The second session of afterschool clubs begins this week. This session of clubs runs from the week of January 5, 2015 through mid-March. Most of our first-session clubs will continue for a second iteration, but some new options are being offered. Club descriptions for this upcoming session, along with a sign-up form, can be found in our clubs brochure, a copy of which has been posted to our Files & Forms page. Enrollment is open now through January 9, and clubs will fill on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that students will need to re-enroll for a club if they wish to continue as a member during this session. Also, if a club does not meet the minimum enrollment by January 9, it will be cancelled and enrollment fees will be refunded. Remember that clubs end at 4:30 p.m., please ensure prompt pickup of your student.

This Wednesday, January 7th, the Stanbridge Parent Association will hold their monthly SPA meeting at 8:30 a.m. in Hayden Hall. All Stanbridge parents and guardians are encouraged to attend.

Just prior to the start of holiday break, we updated our Family Directory for winter. Click over to our Files & Forms page to view and/or download the updated file. If you have any corrections that need to be made, please contact our webmaster. A follow-up edition with any requested edits will be published later this week, if necessary.

We encouraged students to work on cover designs over the holiday break in preparation for this year's annual yearbook cover design contest. If your student completed a template, contest entries can be submitted to Camille this week. The deadline for entries is January 20th, and all Stanbridge junior high and high school students are invited to create a cover design for the 2014-2015 Stanbridge yearbook. Camille has listed the requirements for this year's contest and posted templates on our Files & Forms page--cover design templates will also be available in Camille's room this week. Finalists will be determined by a staff and student vote, with the winning entry being used as our yearbook cover.

Finally, a reminder that Bulldogs basketball team practices resume this week, with the first practice of the new year this Wednesday after school. Coach Mark Kelley has been working to schedule games for the 2015 season, and once the dates and times are finalized, we will post a schedule on the Bulldogs Athletics page.

We're ready to tip-off 2015 at school tomorrow. Hope you had a great holiday break--look forward to seeing everyone back on campus!

From Marilyn Lynch, Stanbridge Head of School:Hello again and welcome to the year-end, holiday edition of the Weekly Bridge. With not a creature stirring on campus until the New Year, there's not much news to report, but here are some year-end news and notes to review before settling-in for a warm winter's nap:

A hearty round of holiday Thank Yous to everyone who got into the spirit of the season during our last week of school. This includes all of the guests who attended our Winter Wonderland holiday showcase last Wednesday, where students from all divisions performed holiday-themed skits, poems, songs and carols. If you weren't able to make it to the matinee performance, click over to our Facebook page where Media Czar "Merry" Stadler has posted pictures and video from the event. Following Wednesday's showcase, another round of thanks goes out to the volunteers who helped organize and provide treats for last Thursday's divisional parties. Students ended the day and headed into break with an afternoon of social, holiday-themed fun thanks to the many SPA volunteers who provided a festive farewell to 2014 for our students. Finally, a big Thank You to everyone who donated items to our Family Giving Tree gift drive. Once again, Stanbridge families showed the true meaning of the holiday season as dozens of gifts were delivered to the FGT Warehouse, thanks to drive organizer Susan Kufer and her four-wheel-drive sleigh. For more information about the Family Giving Tree please visit their website, where you can still make an online donation.

Staying in Thank You mode for just a moment longer, the Annual Fund Campaign committee would like to send special thanks to all of the donors who contributed to the 2014-2015 Annual Fund so far this year. Click here to see the list of donors, and remember that it's not too late to get your donation in before the new year. All donations postmarked by December 31, 2014 will count toward the 2014 calendar year, and you can also click over to our Donate Now page to give your gift online. Once again, our sincere thanks for remembering Stanbridge in your giving this year!

As we prepare for the arrival of the new year, a few closing notes before signing off:

We have updated our Family Directory for winter. Click over to our Files & Forms page to view and/or download the updated file. As always, if you have any corrections that need to be made, please contact our webmaster. A follow-up edition with any requested edits will be published the week we return from break.

Don't forget that the second session of afterschool clubs begins once we return to school. This session of clubs runs from the week of January 5, 2015 through mid-March. Most of our first-session clubs will continue for a second iteration, but some new options are being offered. Club descriptions for this upcoming session, along with a sign-up form, can be found in our Clubs Brochure, a copy of which has been posted to our Files & Forms page. Enrollment is open now through January 9, and clubs will fill on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that students will need to re-enroll for a club if they wish to continue as a member during this session. Also, if a club does not meet the minimum enrollment by January 9, it will be cancelled and enrollment fees will be refunded.

If your student is looking to fill some down time over holiday break, our junior high and high school students are invited to create a cover design for the 2014-2015 Stanbridge yearbook. Camille has listed the requirements for this year's yearbook cover contest and posted templates on our Files & Forms page. All students in grades 7-12 can submit entries to Camille before the January 20 deadline. Finalists will be determined by a staff and student vote, with the winning entry being used as our yearbook cover. This is a great activity to keep students busy over break, so be sure to have plenty of crayons and markers on-hand at home!

And even though your holiday shopping is likely (hopefully) done by now, remember that you can still support Stanbridge through AmazonSmile. When you shop Amazon.com through our AmazonSmile portal, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to Stanbridge. Click here to go directly to the Stanbridge AmazonSmile portal, where you can learn more about the program, or simply sign-in and start shopping. This is a great way to maximize those Amazon gift cards, or make the most out of exchanging those slipper socks you didn't ask for.

Finally, a reminder that school resumes on Monday, January 5, 2015. That's still a ways off, so on behalf of everyone at Stanbridge, thanks for making 2014 such a great year. All the best to you and your family for a safe and happy holiday break with friends and loved ones. Take care, have a wonderful break, and see you next year!

From Marilyn Lynch, Stanbridge Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of the Weekly Bridge. After a wet week that saw our first-ever school cancellation due to rain, we are down to the final four school days of 2014. As many of you know, however, this is one of the busiest times of the school year, so as you make your lists, be sure to check them twice after reading this week's news and notes:

First up, a quick reminder that Monday, December 15 will be the final day of our "Starry Day" online sale. As a follow-up to our "Starry Night" gala auction that was held last month, this special online-only sale is open to all Stanbridge families, as well as outside friends and guests. A number of gifts have already been purchased, but plenty of goodies (and good deals) still remain, including seats for the fabulous February dinner, student-made artwork, and tickets/passes for the symphony, zoo, theme parks, and more. All proceeds benefit Stanbridge, and many of these items will make great holiday gifts for your student, your family...or just you. All items are available for a one-time only "bid-to-buy" price, and the first to reply via our online forms will claim the prize. Sale ends the night of Monday, December 15th, so don't hesitate as the gifts are sold on a first-come, first-served basis! (Note: Purchased items can be collected this week at school; please contact Business Manager Anne Barrows to arrange your pick-up date and time).

Monday is also the final day to drop-off donations for this year's Family Giving Tree. If you took a gift tag from the tree, please attached it securely to the unwrapped gift when returning it to the tree as the tags ensure that your gift gets to the specific person you are buying for. For more information about the Family Giving Tree please visit their website, where you can also make an online donation.

A quick look back to last week before delving in to the busy week ahead:

Last Monday, actors from the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival came to Stanbridge to perform Shakespeare's comedy As You Like It, a play that is being taught in one of Allison St. John's sophomore English classes. High school students were treated to a one-hour version of the play, and then participated in an acting workshops led by the cast. Mary has posted some photo highlights on our Stanbridge Facebook page, and we'll have many more (plus a video clip) going online later this week.

On Friday, after finally drying out, the weather cleared just in time for our High School Holiday Dance. A big round of Thank Yous to our SPA volunteers who helped turn Hayden Hall into a winter wonderland for the students, as well as our staff chaperones who kept the partygoers a-mix and a-mingling. Check our Facebook and Google+ pages later this week for photos from the big night.

Last Friday also marked the final week of afterschool clubs in 2014. We will start our second iteration of clubs when students return from holiday break, but there will no afterschool clubs this week. The second session of clubs will begin the week of January 5, 2015 and run through mid-March. Most clubs will continue for the second session, but some new options are being offered. Club descriptions for this upcoming session, along with a sign-up form, can be found in our Clubs Brochure, a copy of which has been posted to our Files & Forms page. Copies of the brochure will be distributed to students this week and will also be available in the main office. Enrollment is open now through January 9, and clubs will fill on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that students will need to re-enroll for a club if they wish to continue as a member during this session. Also, if a club does not meet the minimum enrollment by January 9, it will be cancelled and enrollment fees will be refunded.

That brings us to this week, and the final four school days of the calendar year. As I noted, there is a flurry of activity before break begins on Friday, so here is a look at what lies ahead, day-by-day:

Monday, December 15:

Spelling Bee: Students from all grade divisions will participate in our first-ever Stanbridge Spelling Bee, held in the Multipurpose Spellatorium at 2:00 p.m. Participants have been practicing for the past few weeks, and trophies will be presented to the winning student in each grade division. Good luck to everyone involved, and have f-u-n!

Donations for Family Giving Tree due by 9:00 a.m.

Starry Day online sale ends at 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, December 16:

Students in lower el and middle el will be taking a day trip to the San Jose Tech Museum. Please contact your student's homeroom advisor for questions about the excursion.

Wednesday, December 17:

Winter Wonderland Holiday Assembly: On Wednesday afternoon, we will hold our annual "Winter Wonderland" assembly. Friends and family members are invited to join the student body in the Multipurpose Room for an afternoon of music, comedy and fun. Jay Huston will present a special holiday sketch, written and performed by students; David Hopper will lead the Stanbridge Choir and Band in a musical presentation; and James & Malia's Theater Club will perform a short play. Ensure your video camera is well-charged--the show starts at 2:00 p.m.

Lost & Found pickup: Items collected in our Lost & Found bin will be displayed on Wednesday afternoon before and after the holiday concert. Please claim any items that belong to your student.

Thursday, December 18:

Class Holiday Parties: On Thursday afternoon, all grade divisions will hold class parties starting at 2:00 p.m. Contact your divisional SPA representative for details on what each division is planning.

Friday, December 19:

No school. Stanbridge will be closed for Holiday Break through January 4, 2015. School will re-open on Monday, January 5, 2015.

Before signing-off, a few more notes:

• During these final days of holiday shopping, don't forget that an easy way to support Stanbridge online is to use our AmazonSmile link. When you shop Amazon.com through our AmazonSmile portal, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to Stanbridge. Click here to go directly to the Stanbridge AmazonSmile portal, where you can learn more about the program, or simply sign-in and start shopping.• A big Thank You to all of the families who have donated to our Annual Fund Campaign. So far this school year, two-thirds of Stanbridge families have raised over $140,000! We will be posting a special Thank You list of donors in the holiday edition of the Weekly Bridge next weekend. If you have yet to donate, there's still time to make the cut, so pick up a remit envelope in the main office or click over to our Donate Now page to give your gift online.• With holiday break coming up, students will have plenty of down time at home. A great activity for many of our junior high and high school artists is to create a design for our 2014-2015 yearbook cover. Camille has listed the requirements for this year's yearbook cover contest, and posted templates on our Files & Forms page. All students in grades 7-12 can submit entries to Camille before the January 20 deadline. Finalists will be determined by a staff and student vote, with the winning entry being used as our yearbook cover. This is a great activity to keep students busy over break, so be sure to have plenty of crayons and markers on-hand at home!

Hard to believe this is it for 2014! Hope you had a great weekend, and look forward to seeing you at some of the events on campus this week.

ALERT: STANBRIDGE WILL BE CLOSED ON THURSDAY, DEC. 11 DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER ADVISORY

The National Weather Service has issued a severe weather warning for the Bay Area for Wednesday evening, December 10 through late Thursday night, December 11. Based upon the projected forecast of high winds and excessive rain, we have made the decision to issue a school closure for Thursday, December 11th.

There will be no classes or afterschool clubs on Thursday, December 11.Classes will resume on Friday, unless there are extenuating safety concerns.Stanbridge families should check their email and our website Thursday night for updates.

Your safety and that of your families is our top priority. In adverse weather conditions, the greatest risks are on the road. We recommend that experienced drivers be behind the wheel tomorrow and that you do not take unnecessary risks to get around. Allow extra time and above all, use good judgment.

From Marilyn Lynch, Stanbridge Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of the Weekly Bridge. With the start of holiday break less than two weeks away, we are counting down the final school days of 2014. There may only be nine school days left this calendar year, but there is plenty going on in that short span of time, so be sure to read-up on the latest news and notes:

With the holiday shopping season in full swing, we're starting this week's update with some helpful gift reminders. First up, our "Starry Day" online sale is happening now. As a follow-up to our "Starry Night" gala auction that was held last month, this special online-only sale is open to all Stanbridge families, as well as outside friends and guests. We have posted a number of gift packages that are available to purchase immediately at special, highly-discounted rates, and all proceeds will benefit Stanbridge. Items include museum and park passes, wine and dinner gift baskets, artwork, theater and symphony tickets, gifts for kids, and even a special catered dinner this February for up to 20 guests, hosted at the home of one of our Stanbridge families! Many of these items would make great holiday gifts for your student, your family...or just you. All items are available for a one-time only "bid-to-buy" price, and the first to reply via our online forms will claim the prize. Click over to the "Starry Day" webpage now and start stuffing those stockings. Our online sale ends on Monday, December 15th, so don't hesitate as the gifts are sold on a first-come, first-served basis!

Don't forget that another easy way to support Stanbridge online is to use our AmazonSmile link.When you shop Amazon.com through our AmazonSmile portal, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to Stanbridge. This is a quick and easy way to take advantage of all of Amazon's great online deals while giving back to Stanbridge as you complete your holiday shopping. Click here to go directly to the Stanbridge AmazonSmile portal, where you can learn more about the program, or simply sign-in and start shopping.

Of course, the true spirit of the holiday season is in giving, and once again Stanbridge is sponsoring the Family Giving Tree. This year's Family Giving Tree is now on display in Hayden Hall and we will be collecting donations through December 12th for children and families in need. Gift tags are displayed on the tree and feature the name and age of a child, as well as that child's specific gift request. Stanbridge families who wish to participate can take a tag from the tree, and then return the tag with their unwrapped donation to Hayden Hall by Friday, December 12. On December 12th all the gifts placed under the tree will be delivered to the Family Giving Tree warehouse in Milpitas. Late gifts will be delivered by the Junior High students on Monday December 15th, when they arrive to volunteer at the warehouse. Please be careful with the gift tags and attached them securely to the unwrapped gift when returning it to the tree as the tags ensure that your gift gets to the specific person you are buying for. If you are unable to fill a wish please return it to the tree so that we can return it to the Family Giving Tree to fill that child's wish. Be on the look out for the gift tags, a few excited students brought some home on Monday. For more information about the Family Giving Tree please visit their website, where you can also make an online donation.

Turning to the school calendar, we have a big week coming up, and the play's the thing on Monday. For the second year in a row, actors from the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival are coming to Stanbridge to perform Shakespeare's comedy As You Like It, a play that is being taught in one of Allison St. John's sophomore English classes. Students will see a one-hour version of the play in the Multipurpose Theatorium and then they will participate in an acting workshop led by the cast. Last year's performance of Julius Caesar was a hit, and students are excited for this year's encore. You can learn more about the upcoming performance at the CalShakes website.

We shift focus from the stage to the court...the basketball court, that is. Our Bulldogs Basketball team is back in action, with weekly practices starting this past Thursday. Coach Mark Kelley has organized a full schedule of practices through mid-March and will be scheduling games after holiday break. Students interested in joining the team should contact Mark via email, and all team members must have completed permission forms on file. The forms and practice schedule are posted on our website's Files & Forms page, and we'll be posting pictures, game details, and highlights on our Bulldogs Athletics page throughout the season. Good luck, Bulldogs, and have fun!

This coming week is the final week of afterschool clubs in 2014. We will start our second iteration of clubs when students return from holiday break, but there will no clubs held the week of December 15-19. Most clubs will continue after the break, though some new choices will be offered. A complete listing of winter clubs, along with enrollment forms, will be distributed to students and posted online later this week. The second session of clubs will begin the week of January 5, 2015 and run through mid-March.

In addition to the final day of afterschool clubs this calendar year, this Friday, December 12, also marks the occasion of our high school holiday dance. All Stanbridge high school students are invited to attend the dance, which will be held in Hayden Hall from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. The dance is free, but all students who attend must return a completed permission form to the main office by Wednesday, Dec. 10. Forms are available in the main office or through your student's homeroom advisor.

As I noted, there is a lot going on at Stanbridge these days, and I haven't even mentioned all of the events coming up during the week of December 14th! We've got an all-school spelling bee, our annual holiday assembly, and divisional parties taking place on the days just before break begins. I'll have full details on those events in next week's Bridge update, but you can read more about them now in this week's SPA Spot.

Before I sign-off, however, one final note: Be sure to click over to our Bridge Blog post from this past Friday. A group of our junior high students recorded a video greeting for Channel One News earlier this year, and their clip was selected to air during last Friday's broadcast--a broadcast seen by over five million viewers worldwide! Details and link to the video are posted on the blog so be sure to check it out. Who knows...we may have just launched the career of a future Anderson Cooper or Lisa Ling.

Told you there was a lot going on these days! Be sure to tune-in next week for the next round of updates--there will be plenty more to report as we prepare to say farewell to 2014. Until then, have a great weekend!

Channel One is a free, online news service developed to encourage students to be informed, digital-savvy global citizens. It provides a daily, 10-minute newscast anchored by teenagers that is designed for junior high and high school students (two of its former anchors include Anderson Cooper and Lisa Ling). The Peabody and Telly award-winning program is broadcast to nearly five-million young people across the country, and among them are students here at Stanbridge. Teachers in our junior high and high school divisions incorporate the Channel One broadcast into their daily curriculum as a way to keep students up-to-date on worldwide current events. Throughout the year, Channel One has been airing clips of students from schools around the country wishing the programmer a Happy 25th Birthday, and on today's episode (December 5, 2014), a group of our junior high students made it into the broadcast! Click the screenshot above to view the entire episode and see our newly-minted web stars (the junior high group appears at the 4:05 mark in the third segment of the broadcast). Congratulations on your close-up, junior high!

UPDATE: All donations made to Stanbridge today will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, by an anonymous donor, up to $2,000. Click here to make a donation now that will have twice the impact!Amidst all the consumer craziness, it's easy to lose sight of what the holidays are all about, so Stanbridge is joining thousands of other non-profit and charitable organizations to take part in "Giving Tuesday." Giving Tuesday inspires personal philanthropy and encourages bigger, better and smarter charitable giving during the holiday season, showing that the world truly gives as good as it gets. The third annual Giving Tuesday is today, December 2, and we will be sharing special "Giving Tuesday" messages, photos, stories, and links through email, our website, and social media pages. Be sure to check in, make a donation, and/or share your stories about what makes Stanbridge special on this national day of giving. Thank you and happy holidays!

Happy Cyber Monday! Amidst all of those online deals, don't forget that an easy way to support Stanbridge is to use our AmazonSmile link. When you shop Amazon.com through our AmazonSmile portal, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to Stanbridge. This is a quick and easy way to take advantage of all of Amazon's great online deals throughout the holiday season while giving back to Stanbridge. Click here to go directly to the Stanbridge AmazonSmile portal, where you can learn more about the program, or simply sign-in and start shopping!

From Marilyn Lynch, Stanbridge Head of School:Hello again and welcome to a special holiday edition of the Weekly Bridge. Whether you are enjoying a restful day with friends and family, or busting down the doors at Macy's and Target, I hope you have a great Thanksgiving break. Not much to report over the long weekend, so here are just a few notes and reminders to take-in between dinner, football, shopping, and leftovers:

This past Tuesday, we held our annual Thanksgiving tradition of afternoon Turkey Bingo. Students and teachers from all divisions intermingled during a full hour of bingo fun before departing for break. It was a fun-filled event, highlighted by a special pre-bingo performance by "Uncle" James Warren, who sang his revised take on the pop hit "Happy." Originally written for the "Starry Night" Fall Gala, James debuted this piece at the fall fundraiser earlier this month to help raise funds for our new Music Room. Those of you who attended the gala saw firsthand how dedicated James is to getting the new room built, and his performance there helped raise thousands of dollars for this Fund-a-Need cause. On Tuesday, James took center stage for an encore, singing his composition for the students and staff. We're happy (no pun intended) to have posted video of this performance on our YouTube channel and on our website's Media Room, so be sure to click over and check it out.

Speaking of the fall gala, those of you unable to attend not only missed out on James' performance, but also on a myriad of amazing gift packages that were up for auction that night. Anticipating that not everyone would be able to attend or participate, we will be holding a special "Starry Day" post-gala sale after Thanksgiving Break. We have two dozen gifts that will be available to purchase at special, highly-discounted rates, and all proceeds will benefit Stanbridge. Items include museum and park passes, wine and dinner gift baskets, artwork, theater and symphony tickets, gifts for kids, and even a special catered dinner this February for up to 20 guests, hosted at the home of one of our Stanbridge families! Many of these items would make great holiday gifts for your student, your family...or just you. All items will be revealed on our website Wednesday, December 3, and will be available for a one-time only "bid-to-buy" price. First to email will claim the prize, so be sure to check your email Inbox on Wednesday afternoon for an alert on when our post-gala auction goes live.

With Thanksgiving comes the inevitable barrage of shopping and sales, and in addition to our "Starry Day" online auction, there are a number of other ways to support Stanbridge as you shop for the holidays. The recent "Fiesta de los Libros" book fair may have ended last week, but you can still order books and support Stanbridge by ordering via the Scholastic website through December 2nd. All purchases made by Tuesday will go toward our Book Fair profits, so click over to the SPA Spot page for the link to our Stanbridge Scholastic Book Fair page and stock up on those stocking stuffers.

Don't forget that another easy way to support Stanbridge online is to use our AmazonSmile link.When you shop Amazon.com through our AmazonSmile portal, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to Stanbridge. This is a quick and easy way to take advantage of all of Amazon's great online deals while giving back to Stanbridge, especially with "Cyber Monday" on the horizon. Click here to go directly to the Stanbridge AmazonSmile portal, where you can learn more about the program, or simply sign-in and start shopping!

Finally, amidst all the consumer craziness, it's easy to lose sight of what the holidays are all about, so Stanbridge is joining thousands of other non-profit and charitable organizations to take part in "Giving Tuesday." Giving Tuesday inspires personal philanthropy and encourages bigger, better and smarter charitable giving during the holiday season, showing that the world truly gives as good as it gets. The third annual Giving Tuesday will take place on December 2, and we will be sharing special "Giving Tuesday" messages, photos, stories, and links through email, our website, and social media pages. Be sure to check in, make a donation, and/or share your stories about what makes Stanbridge special on this national day of giving.

In the meantime, I'd like to get in to the spirit of today's holiday and say Thank You to the students, families, staff, and friends who make up the Stanbridge community. So thankful to be part of such a wonderful, amazing group of people. Hope you all enjoy a safe and happy holiday break; see you back at school on Monday.

The 2014 Stanbridge Book Fair "Fiesta de los Libros" may be over, but you can still buy books that benefit Stanbridge. The Book Fair supplies were packed up on Monday morning and shipped back to Scholastic's secret underground bunker in the subterranean salt mines of Nebraska. Still, you can purchase Scholastic books online at any time. The Stanbridge Book Fair continues online until Tuesday, Dec. 2. You can follow this link, and all of your purchases will be credited to our school's Book Fair profits. Items will be delivered to school for free before Winter Break, just in time for the holidays!

From Marilyn Lynch, Stanbridge Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of the Weekly Bridge. Thanksgiving is just a few days away, and we are heading into an abbreviated, two-day school week before our holiday break begins. Despite the short week ahead, there is still plenty to report, so here's the latest from Stanbridge:

The spirit of Thanksgiving was alive and well on campus over the past few weeks. At the beginning of the month, our student STAR Teams launched their annual Thanksgiving Food Drive to benefit St. Anthony's Kitchen, and this year's campaign netted another impressive haul. On Friday, counselor James Warren delivered all donations to St. Anthony's in San Francisco, assisted by four STAR Team representatives from the elementary, junior high, and high school divisions (see photo). Once again, Stanbridge students and families helped fill an entire recycling bin full of canned goods and foodstuffs that will help make the upcoming holidays a little bit brighter for those less fortunate. A big Thank You to all who supported this great charitable cause! (Those who wish to learn more about St. Anthony's, donate, or volunteer there, can visit the St. Anthony's website for more information). The giving spirit of the holidays will continue on campus next month when we once again sponsor the Family Giving Tree project. More details on that event forthcoming after the Thanksgiving Break.

"Thanks" seems to be in order this week, as I extend a Thanks You--or should I say "Gracias"--to our Book Fair Fiesta volunteers. The annual Scholastic Book Fair ended on Friday afternoon, with a special extended afterschool sales session that was open to Stanbridge alumni. Overall, the fair was a successful one, with brisk sales throughout the week. Our thanks to event coordinator Laura Claude for her work throughout the week, as well as the many parents and guardians who assisted with set-up, sales, and Monday's forthcoming clean-up: Mary Anne Ball, Marissa Huang, Cheryl Martinelli, Bonnie Sutton, Wendi Upchurch, Marion Van Heteran, Linda Waissar, Mary Winslow, and Anna Zara. ¡Gracias amigos!

The fiesta may be over, but you can still buy books that benefit Stanbridge. The Book Fair supplies will be packed up on Monday morning and shipped back to Scholastic's secret underground bunker in the subterranean salt mines of Nebraska. Still, you can purchase Scholastic books online at any time--just visit our website's Book Order page. There, simply follow the directions to order through Scholastic's vast online catalog. Not only are there thousands of titles available for readers of all ages, but when you use our school code to complete your order, Stanbridge receives free books for our classrooms and library. It's win-win for everyone and a great way to order some fun gifts for the holidays. (Please ensure your order is completed by December 7 to ensure delivery before holiday break).

If you are already thinking ahead to holiday gift giving, be aware that we are going to be holding a special "Starry Day" bonus auction after Thanksgiving Break. Our "Starry Night" fall gala and auction raised over $32,000 earlier this month, but we have saved nearly a dozen gift baskets and packages that we will be available for purchase after break. All Stanbridge families will have the opportunity to buy these great gift items that include artwork, park and museum passes, dinner and wine packages, and even a homemade Valentine's-themed dinner event for you and up to 17 other guests! Full details will be announced the week after Thanksgiving break, but if you missed this year's gala, this follow-up event is a unique opportunity to get some fantastic holiday gifts at great prices, and help support Stanbridge.

Coming up before the break, however, we have our annual Thanksgiving Turkey Bingo assembly. Held annually in the afternoon before our break begins, this year's event will take place on Tuesday, November 25 at 2:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Bingotorium. The assembly allows students and staff from all divisions to intermingle and socialize while playing bingo games for small prizes such as iTunes, Baskin-Robbins, and Jamba Juice gift cards. Jay and I will once again be calling the numbers, and "Uncle" James Warren has promised to perform an encore of his "Happy" redux; a Stanbridge-specific reworking of Pharrell Williams' "Happy" that James sang (and danced to) at the fall gala to help raise funds for the Fund-A-Need music room. Turkey Bingo is always a fun time and a great way to segue into the holiday, so I am looking forward to Tuesday's iteration. (And yes, we will be posting a video of James' performance online!)

Before segueing into the closing, a few final notes:• Congratulations to high school student Bobby E., who was elected as the new student body vice-president on Friday. Our previous student body VP transferred to a new school, leaving the office vacant and necessitating Friday's special election. A hearty congratulations to all of the students who stepped-up to run for the office, and our best wishes for the student government to continue their progress this year. A full listing of this year's officeholders can be found on our Student Leadership page.• More thanks are in order to our ever-increasing list of Annual Fund donors. I am thrilled to report that we have now crossed the $100,000 mark in funds raised, thanks to the participation of Stanbridge families. It is amazing that we are almost halfway to our $220,000 goal, and I thank everyone who has made a contribution thusfar. Our ultimate goal is 100% family participation, and every donation helps make a difference. If you have not yet donated, please consider giving by year's end, either by using the Annual Fund remit envelope to give by check or credit card, or donate online via credit card through our secure Razoo platform. We're all in this together, and I thank you again for your continued support.• This past Thursday, Stanbridge welcomed "The Fabulous Chinese Acrobats" to campus for a special all-school assembly. Mary has posted a few photo highlights on our Facebook page, and we'll have more pics (and some video) coming later this week.• Finally, a special congratulations to Stanbridge junior high student Muriel P., who received the Girl Scout Bronze Award on Friday as a result of her continued work over the past two years, particularly, 25 hours of work she contributed to a “bookworm garden” her troop created to encourage kids to enjoy reading. The city of San Mateo allowed the troop to install the garden next to Paddock Park, the newest playground in San Mateo, and it was Muriel’s idea to base it on the book Chrysanthemum.

We started this week's edition with community service and books, so it is only appropriate that we end with that story. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and the short week of school ahead!

From Marilyn Lynch, Stanbridge Head of School:Hello again and welcome to another edition of the Weekly Bridge. Our "Starry Night" gala has come and gone, and I am happy to report that it was a tremendous success. We'll be posting photo highlights throughout the week, and a full recap next weekend once Anne sorts through all of the paperwork. In the meantime, a few immediate post-gala reflections below, along with the latest news and notes:

I have to start off this week's update with a hearty round of Thank Yous to everyone who helped make Saturday's Starry Night auction and gala such a success. The venue was fantastic and the turnout tremendous. We had a great mix of current Stanbridge families, staff, alumni, board members, and guests, all of whom seemed to have a great time. So many volunteers helped to make this year's gala an unqualified success--soliciting donations, assisting with packaging gift bags and baskets, helping with set-up and clean-up, donating gifts, money, and time--it truly was a collaborative effort that showed-off the best of Stanbridge. The numbers are still unofficial at this point, but the event helped to raise thousands of dollars for Stanbridge and our Fund-a-Need goal of building a new music room. Again, we will have more details and highlights forthcoming throughout the week, but sincere thanks to everyone who was part of making our "Starry Night" a bright one.

Alas, there's little time to relax in the afterglow, as we prepare to kick off another big event this week: The annual Scholastic Book Fair. This year's Book Fair theme is "Fiesta" and the party begins on Monday morning, when Book Fair volunteers will begin setting up displays in Hayden Hall. Monday afternoon will be a special "Preview Day" when students, staff, parents and guardians can browse the selections and make notes on what items they would like to buy. The fair will be open for purchases starting on Tuesday morning, November 18, at morning drop-off, and our "Fiesta de los Libros" will run through Friday afternoon, with volunteers staffing the registers during drop-off and pick-up times each day.

Book fair coordinator Laura Claude is still looking for volunteers to sign-up for shift times, and you can help by reserving a spot via the SPA Book Fair online Sign-Up Genius. You can also make things easier for your student by filling out the Book Fair Voucher/Wish List form. The form provides you and your student an opportunity to list the books and items you would like to purchase during the fair. The form also allows you to give your student a set amount of book fair credit that he/she can spend at the event. Simply indicate the maximum amount they can spend, and have your child bring the completed form to the checkout. Event staff will ensure your student does not exceed the credit limit, and Stanbridge will bill you for all purchases later. This form was sent home with students on Friday, but you can also download a copy from our Files & Forms page. The book fair is a great opportunity to support Stanbridge and get an early jump on holiday gift buying (books make great stocking stuffers!).

Speaking of the holidays, don't forget that Thanksgiving is coming up and our student STAR Teams are still collecting items for their Food Drive to benefit St. Anthony's Kitchen. Now through November 24, Stanbridge families can drop off canned goods and other non-perishable food items in the collection bin located in the main hall foyer. Counselor James Warren will deliver all donations to St. Anthony's just before Thanksgiving. This has been an annual tradition at Stanbridge for years, and it is a great way for students and families in every division to help make a positive impact in the community.

We have two school-wide assemblies coming up in the days leading-up to Thanksgiving. This Thursday, "The Fabulous Chinese Acrobats" will be returning to campus for a performance at 2:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. The troupe visited Stanbridge last year and dazzled everyone with some amazing acrobatic feats that seemed to defy physics, so we are looking forward to their encore performance this week. Next week, we will hold our annual "Turkey Bingo" assembly on Tuesday afternoon, November 25th. The school-wide bingo game allows students and staff from all divisions to intermingle and socialize before departing for Thanksgiving Break, and rumors are swirling that a certain "Uncle James" will also be performing an original composition during the event.

Before signing-off, a few closing notes:• Don't forget to stay up-to-date with the many conferences, lectures, and workshops around the Bay Area. We regularly update the listings on our Lectures & Workshops page, and you can help spread the word on any events of interest to Stanbridge families by emailing our webmaster with listings we may have missed.• The Annual Fund Campaign is rolling along, and our thanks again to everyone who has contributed so far. We are already nearing the $100,000 mark, with nearly half of all Stanbridge families making a contribution. Again, I am amazed at the generosity of the Stanbridge community. Our ultimate goal is 100% family participation, and every donation helps make a difference. If you have not yet donated, please consider giving by year's end, either by using the Annual Fund remit envelope to give by check or credit card, or donate online via credit card through our secure Razoo platform. We're all in this together, and I thank you again for your continued support.

Our Starry Night may be over, but I'll see our Stanbridge Stars back at school on Monday. Until then, enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Stanbridge Academy is a caring, inclusive K-12 school for students with mild to moderate learning differences and social communication disorders. We use an individualized, whole student approach so that students thrive and develop their academic, social, and emotional capabilities to their fullest potential.